The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 264
Fresh: 173 | Rotten: 91
Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.
Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 45
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 25
Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.
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Average Rating: 4.1/5
User Ratings: 213,599
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Movie Info
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo
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Cast
-
Ian McKellen
Gandalf -
Martin Freeman
Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins -
Richard Armitage
Thorin, Thorin Oakenshi... -
Ken Stott
Balin -
Graham McTavish
Dwalin -
William Kircher
Bifur, Tom Troll -
James Nesbitt
Bofur -
Stephen Hunter
Bombur -
Dean O'Gorman
Fili -
Aidan Turner
Kili -
John Callen
Oin -
Peter Hambleton
Gloin, William Troll -
Jed Brophy
Nori -
Mark Hadlow
Bert Troll, Dori -
Adam Brown
Ori -
Ian Holm
Bilbo Baggins (old), Ol... -
Elijah Wood
Frodo, Frodo Baggins -
Hugo Weaving
Elrond -
Cate Blanchett
Galadriel -
Christopher Lee
Saruman -
Andy Serkis
Gollum -
Sylvester McCoy
Radagast -
Barry Humphries
Goblin King, Great Gobl... -
Jeffrey Thomas
Thror -
Mike Mizrahi
Thrain -
Lee Pace
Thranduil -
Manu Bennett
Azog -
Conan Stevens
Bolg -
John Rawls
Yazneg -
Stephen Ure
Fimbul, Grinnah -
Timothy Bartlett
Master Worrywart -
Bret McKenzie
Lindir -
Kiran Shah
Goblin Scribe -
Benedict Cumberbatch
Necromancer, Smaug -
Glenn Boswell
Dwarf Miner -
Thomas Robins
Young Thrain -
Rob Kazinsky
Fili -
Stephen Fry
Master of Laketown -
Evangeline Lilly
Tauriel -
Orlando Bloom
Legolas -
Luke Evans
Bard the Bowman
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All Critics (264) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (176) | Rotten (91) | DVD (3)
It frequently seems as though Jackson was less interested in making The Hobbit than in remaking his own fabulously successful Lord of the Rings series.
My first thought in watching The Hobbit was: Do we really need this movie? It was my last thought, too.
To its own narrative detriment, "The Hobbit" works hard to lay the framework for what will follow. Certainly that's one way to set out on a trilogy, but it's surely not the best.
There's no denying the majesty in Peter Jackson's visuals but he's taken a relatively slim children's book and stretched it beyond the limits.
The repeated iterations of fight, flight and respite here get wearing. Especially perhaps because, with Jackson's fetish for detail, they take more time to watch on screen than to read about.
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" has finally arrived, not on wings of gossamer fancy but with a hairy-footed thud.
The odd thing about the saying "too much of a good thing" is that it acknowledges the fact that, something, in general, is composed of an overabundance of excellence.
There's a good film in here, but as with many double albums, you have to sift through a lot of padding to find it.
The Hobbit may not be as memorable as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it's a mostly faithful adaptation that sticks to the same tones and themes of the source material.
It's a journey that any fan of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy should enjoy.
The start of Peter Jackson's second Tolkien universe trilogy seemed to elicit more shrugs than awe, which was odd because the movie stands on par with his monumental The Lord of the Rings films.
A top-shelf presentation of one of last year's baggiest, most unnecessary films, this combo pack confirms An Unexpected Journey's status as little more than pricey techno-bauble.
Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth feels familiar and unfulfilling.
If Jackson had focused simply on Bilbo's party and their attempts to get a proper homeland for the dwarves, 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' would have been a leaner, more engaging tale.
Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien may like sitting through a 169 minute film, that easily could have been trimmed by at least 50 minutes. But, I was constantly aware of the long running time.
As it stands, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a thoroughly engaging, often rip-roaring, old school yarn. It's got scope, excitement, and above all, emotional heft.
Whenever this movie suffers from lengthy prequel-itis and a weighty sense of expectations, it falls short. Still, for much of its 165 minutes, this epic has enough small moments and deft touches that it tugs you along with the power of a good story.
An Unexpected Journey offers an unparalleled visual spectacle
a drag-down, mildly diverting entertainment
When the dwarves turn up mob-handed, kicking off a night of boisterous revelry, the laboured jests and jollity seem to go on forever. And the combination of dwarves, forced humour and familiar faces off the telly turn the occasion into bad panto.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey had me with the dulcet melancholy of displaced Dwarves, yearning to be home.
Slower out of the gates than a three-legged donkey... but it gets better, and fans won't mind this slowburn beginning because, hey, it's Middle Earth.
It's the behaviour of the supposedly affable dwarves that makes this particular 'adventure' such a punishing experience.
...a jaw-dropping visual carnival courtesy of Peter Jackson and company!
Very, very (very) slow in the early going, but Peter Jackson does get there (eventually).
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a story stretched too thin; dragged out by drudging slowness and obvious padding that its handful of thrilling action sequences can't improve.
Audience Reviews for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Gollum: The Bagginses like the fishies.
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- William Troll: Everything tastes like chicken, except chicken itself.
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- Bilbo Baggins: I like visitors, but I usually get to know them before they visit.
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- Gollum: If the Baggins loses, then we swallows it whole.
- Bilbo: Fair enough.
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- Bilbo Baggins: Good morning.
- Gandalf: What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning wheter I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be a good on? Hm?
- Bilbo Baggins: All of them at once, I suppose.
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- Goblin King: Well, that'll do it.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| ANYTHING'S BETTER THAN BORING ASS APOCALYPSE NOW. | 2 hours ago | 3 |
| Jurassic Park... | 5 days ago | 10 |
| The Hobbit vs The Phantom Menace? | 5 days ago | 152 |
| I'M BACK, ASSWIPES | 12 days ago | 80 |
| Why do people think it's too long?!?!?!?! | 15 days ago | 7 |
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Foreign Titles
- Der Hobbit: Eine unerwartete Reise (DE)
- Le Hobbit : un voyage inattendu (FR)










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